Day 33: Saturday August 17th, 2019
Location:
0.3 miles of trail covered, 0.2 miles Extra hiking
Finally, finally, finally we are back on the Ice Age Trail. Maybe for real this time.
Today we planned for, prepared for, and took steps to return to the Ice Age Trail, going back to the place we most recently covered and traversing around over bits of Maps 39, 40, and 41. We brought two vehicles with us again, so once again we were taking this thing seriously.
Even better, we brought along our daughter Nicole and her super-pup Joplin. We were out celebrating Joplin's 8th birthday, and what better way to do it than take a nice long walk along the IAT?
We started out by parking on Sportsman Drive, at the very end of the Eau Claire Dells segment, so we could knock out this little 0.3 mile section we didn't get to a year and a half ago. There is no official parking there, but the gravel road is amply wide and parking is easy and safe on the shoulder. We were surprised to see no sign marking the end of the segment, or beginning if you're traveling east to west, which is how we were taking this tiny piece. No matter. We grabbed our gear, touched the sign, and started north. It was 12:15 in the afternoon, sunny and 77 degrees.
The trail was relatively well-used, skirting a field and heading slightly downhill in a direct bee-line to the river, where we found ourselves crossing a dam that moderates the flow of water through the dells. Turning west, we walked along the north shore of the river, close enough enjoy the beauty and in a couple places close enough to walk down and step out onto the rocks, or even into the sandy bottom of this clean and beautiful river. You can't NOT love this piece of trail.
After far too short a time, we came to County Road Y and crossed into the Dells of the Eau Claire Park, where all the people gather to enjoy the astonishing beauty of the dells. The Ice Age Trail guidebook does a great job of describing how these dells were formed and the types of glacial features visible here, but all that is completely overshadowed by the emotional impact of standing here and watching the water go by. We walked to our other car waiting for us, and made for the next leg in the adventure. It was 12:45 and still 77 degrees.
Running total: 243.1 miles of trail covered; 28.8 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking.
0.3 miles of trail covered, 0.2 miles Extra hiking
Finally, finally, finally we are back on the Ice Age Trail. Maybe for real this time.
Today we planned for, prepared for, and took steps to return to the Ice Age Trail, going back to the place we most recently covered and traversing around over bits of Maps 39, 40, and 41. We brought two vehicles with us again, so once again we were taking this thing seriously.
Even better, we brought along our daughter Nicole and her super-pup Joplin. We were out celebrating Joplin's 8th birthday, and what better way to do it than take a nice long walk along the IAT?
We started out by parking on Sportsman Drive, at the very end of the Eau Claire Dells segment, so we could knock out this little 0.3 mile section we didn't get to a year and a half ago. There is no official parking there, but the gravel road is amply wide and parking is easy and safe on the shoulder. We were surprised to see no sign marking the end of the segment, or beginning if you're traveling east to west, which is how we were taking this tiny piece. No matter. We grabbed our gear, touched the sign, and started north. It was 12:15 in the afternoon, sunny and 77 degrees.
The trail was relatively well-used, skirting a field and heading slightly downhill in a direct bee-line to the river, where we found ourselves crossing a dam that moderates the flow of water through the dells. Turning west, we walked along the north shore of the river, close enough enjoy the beauty and in a couple places close enough to walk down and step out onto the rocks, or even into the sandy bottom of this clean and beautiful river. You can't NOT love this piece of trail.
After far too short a time, we came to County Road Y and crossed into the Dells of the Eau Claire Park, where all the people gather to enjoy the astonishing beauty of the dells. The Ice Age Trail guidebook does a great job of describing how these dells were formed and the types of glacial features visible here, but all that is completely overshadowed by the emotional impact of standing here and watching the water go by. We walked to our other car waiting for us, and made for the next leg in the adventure. It was 12:45 and still 77 degrees.
Running total: 243.1 miles of trail covered; 28.8 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking.
Location:
2.5 miles of trail covered, 0.2 miles Extra hiking
Next, we dropped off one vehicle at the southern end of the Plover River Segment on Sportsman Drive, and drove the other vehicle to the nice parking area at the intersection of Village Road and Hatchery Rd just to the north, where we hiked back in October of 2013. That was our Day 22 hike, and oddly enough that was the day we were out here with our daughter celebrating her birthday. Funny how that goes.
We got ourselves geared up, touched the sign at 1:45 pm, and started down the blue-flagged access trail, about 0.2 miles to a T-intersection. Where we had previously turned north, this time we headed south to complete this lovely piece of trail. In all fairness, we had been here before, back in 2016, but only to go far enough to get a geocache that was slightly down the trail. That was one December evening, after dark, but that's a story for another blog.
Today was a little muggy though the temperature was still only 78 degrees. The trail was in fantastic condition for the first three-quarters of a mile, with only a couple small trees down from recent storms. I cleared those out for future hikers, and we enjoyed the easy, level walking. At that point we encountered the Plover river itself, the only time where direct easy access can be gained alongside the trail. The water here is amazingly clean and clear, and Nicole and Joplin enjoyed splashing around in the sandy shallows as the river cut its way through the lowland.
For the next quarter mile or so, we plucked our way along the stream, where the trail conditions are admittedly spotty. Recent rains left this organic spongy soil in moderate to poor condition, and there were places where leapfrogging from log to rock to root was the only way to avoid sinking in up to your ankles. The only thing I can say in favor of the experience is that there were shockingly few deer flies, and the mosquitoes were being held at bay by a minimal application of deet.
After a while, the trail turned up a modest slope and topped off on a long esker, where it wound through the forest giving a nice view on both sides. At roughly the halfway point there was a bench with a logbook that you are encouraged to sign, and we did. We stopped there for a brief snack and then went on.
The second half of the hike was uneventful. We did see some deer, and the walking was pleasant, with few up-and-down areas. Eventually we started cutting through a recently logged area that was thick with new growth of quaking aspen trees. This led into a traipse across an open savannah and finally back to our waiting vehicle. It was 3:50, and the temperature was largely unchanged, at 78 degrees. We had completed our second section of the day, and we were ready for more.
Running total: 245.6 miles of trail covered; 29 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking.
Location: Connecting Route between southern/western end of
3.5 miles of trail covered
We now found ourselves 3.5 miles due East from where we started the day, along Sportsman Road, with two cars and two bicycles. We certainly could have found a way to do it differently, but to save time we came up with a plan. After picking up our second car, we left vehicle 1 at the same place we just ended the last segment, and Theresa started biking west. I took daughter and dog to the other end, where Theresa was biking to, and started biking east. Nicole and Joplin enjoyed the river again while Theresa and I crossed paths on bicycle and completed this 3.5 mile mostly-gravel connecting route. The hills were not intimidating, and overall the terrain was basically level. by 5:15 we had completed this section, about 45 minutes after we started. It was still warm and sunny, and we headed to the next connecting route.
Second verse, same as the first. It worked before, so we did it again. We dropped Theresa off at the great parking area at the southern end of the Eau Claire Dells segment near County Road Z and Thornapple Road, and she biked south while I drove to the northern tip of the Thornapple Creek segment to bike back the other way. With mostly level ground I had barely gotten started and found myself crossing paths with Theresa on the paved road. 15 minutes later that experience was over, and we reconnected to discuss the rest of the day. It would have been nice to have hiked a little bit of Thornapple Creek to take us off the edge of Map 40, but in the end we decided to call it a day. We were all starting to feel dog-tired, and Joplin looked the part. Enough fun for one day.
3.5 miles of trail covered
We now found ourselves 3.5 miles due East from where we started the day, along Sportsman Road, with two cars and two bicycles. We certainly could have found a way to do it differently, but to save time we came up with a plan. After picking up our second car, we left vehicle 1 at the same place we just ended the last segment, and Theresa started biking west. I took daughter and dog to the other end, where Theresa was biking to, and started biking east. Nicole and Joplin enjoyed the river again while Theresa and I crossed paths on bicycle and completed this 3.5 mile mostly-gravel connecting route. The hills were not intimidating, and overall the terrain was basically level. by 5:15 we had completed this section, about 45 minutes after we started. It was still warm and sunny, and we headed to the next connecting route.
Running total: 249.1 miles of trail covered; 29 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking.
Location: The Road portion of the Thornapple Creek Segment running along Thornapple Creek Road and County Z, ending at the southern/western end of Eau Claire Dells Segment, Marathon County
0.9 miles of trail covered
0.9 miles of trail covered
Second verse, same as the first. It worked before, so we did it again. We dropped Theresa off at the great parking area at the southern end of the Eau Claire Dells segment near County Road Z and Thornapple Road, and she biked south while I drove to the northern tip of the Thornapple Creek segment to bike back the other way. With mostly level ground I had barely gotten started and found myself crossing paths with Theresa on the paved road. 15 minutes later that experience was over, and we reconnected to discuss the rest of the day. It would have been nice to have hiked a little bit of Thornapple Creek to take us off the edge of Map 40, but in the end we decided to call it a day. We were all starting to feel dog-tired, and Joplin looked the part. Enough fun for one day.
Running total: 250 miles of trail covered; 29 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking. End of Day 33
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